Barberry plant

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of barberry, which was discovered by me as a sport in a block of Berberis on my cultivated property at Grand Rapids, Mich. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel cultivar of Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea having unusual and distinctive foliage coloration, known as &#34;Crimson Velvet&#34;, a plant of New Plants.

DESCRIPTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Barberryplant, which was discovered by me as a seedling variant growing on mycultivated property at Grand Rapids, Mich. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a novel cultivar of Berberis thunbergiiatropurpurea having unusual and distinctive characteristics, known as"Crimson Velvet", a plant of New Plants, Perry, Ohio.

2. Background of the Plant

The Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea plant is of the familyberberidaceae. This plant has colored foliage and exhibits purplish-redleaves especially when grown in full sun light. The plant is manybranched and has a compact habit, usually 2 to 5 feet tall. Its leavesand thorns grow in tufts on the branches. The leaves are obovate inshape and 1/2 to 11/4 inches long. In the blooming season, pale yellowflowers about 1/3 inch wide, usually in umbellate clusters of about 2 to5 blooms. In fall, the branches bear red berries, about 1/3 inch long,which persist through winter until new leaves grow in the spring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates my new Berberis plant in full late summer foliage;

FIG. 2 illustrates a closer view of a portion of the branches of theplant illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a sample of leaves from the plant for purposes ofclarity showing upper leaf surfaces.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED PLANT VARIETY

In this invention, my new barberry plant has strong basal branchingwhich develops into a fountain-like habit. As contrasted with theBerberis genus in general, my new plant exhibits lusher new growth,longer thorns and larger, more colorful leaves than the seed parent andother species of the genus grown under similar growing conditions. Ascontrasted with the purplish-red foliage of atropurpurea, my new plantexhibits mature leaves of smokey maroon.

The immature leaves and shoots of this plant are a bright fuchsia colorwhich deepens to a smokey maroon upon maturity. The alternate, simple,broadly elliptic leaves are usually entire, sometimes serrate with age.The glabrous leaves are 2 inches long, of which 3/8 of an inch is thepetiole. Leaf widths are about 1 to 11/2 inches.

Immature twigs vary in color from deep magenta at the tip to brown atthe base. Leaf buds match the stem color. Older stems are cordovan brownwith striations, some of which can be as wide as to give the stem agreyish appearance.

A further and important distinguishing feature of my new plant is thatit has an exceptional cutting regrowth rate and takes trimming readilyso that it can be maintained in the landscape as a solid hedge withdense growth at the base, as contrasted with the Berberis genus ingeneral, which tends to form hedges with gaps toward the bases of theplants.

My new plant bears yellow flowers and red ellipsoidal berries typical ofthe genus. Asexually reproduction of my new barberry plant was performedat Perry, Ohio, Zone 5, by taking soft wood cuttings for summerpropagation, of which more than 75% rooted and grew. The cuttingsexhibited the same color and growth habit as described above. Subsequentpropagations exhibited the same foliage colors. Such reproduction showsthe foregoing characteristics and distinctions of my new plant takeplace and are established and transmitted through succeedingpropagations of the barberry.

The following is a specific discription by way of a specific example ofmy new Barberry, the color terminology being referenced to the MunsellBook of Color, Neighboring Hues Edition, Baltimore Md., 1950,hereinafter referred to as Munsell.

Leaves: The established leaves are a deep smokey maroon (Munsell 7.5 P4/2 to 2/2) having lighter maroon veins (Munsell 5 RP 4/8 to 3/8).Immature leaves are brighter maroon than the established leaves (Munsell5 RP 5/6 to 3/6).

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Berberis thunbergii,substantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularlyby leaves which are of a smokey maroon color with lighter maroon veinsand immature leaves which are of a light maroon color.